


'Straight'

by mrs_leary (julie)



Category: Merlin (TV) RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-22
Updated: 2012-11-22
Packaged: 2017-11-19 06:27:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/570215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/julie/pseuds/mrs_leary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Colin and Bradley have just seen the play <em>Straight</em>, and decide to follow suit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	'Straight'

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't much of a fic really, but a reaction to the play and a retelling of its story.

♦

‘I didn’t see what all the fuss was about,’ said Bradley.

Colin cast him a doubtful glance. They were in Sheffield for the night, and had just seen the play that Richard was directing for the Crucible, called _Straight_. Having already caught up with Richard beforehand, the two younger men had headed out alone together afterwards for a contemplative beer. Colin, however, wasn’t entirely sure what Bradley was contemplating. ‘The fuss?’ he enquired.

‘No, I mean. They should have just got on with it. Shouldn’t they.’ Bradley’s certainty slid momentarily sideways. ‘Well, that’s what I reckon, anyway.’

The play was about two straight friends who’d decided, for convoluted reasons, to fuck. Each other. A one–off thing only, especially as one of them was happily married. And yeah, there’d been a great deal of fuss made before they finally got to it… ‘Would have been a considerably shorter play without the fuss,’ Colin pointed out. ‘There’d ’ve been hardly any play at all.’

‘True.’

Colin let another moment pass. His hands were unaccountably shaky, so he ran them down the rough denim covering his thighs before asking, ‘You think it could have been better written. That’s what you’re saying?’

Bradley shrugged. ‘Guess so, yeah.’

‘Something more to make the tension more believable.’

‘Yeah.’

‘Cos otherwise, they would have just gone for it?’

Another shrug. ‘Yeah. Why not?’

Which was a rhetorical question, so Colin nodded agreeably and downed some more beer. This was all food for thought, mind. Colin wouldn’t have figured Bradley as being the adventurous sort, or perhaps more particularly as not _needing_ to be the adventurous sort, but maybe the play had come along at the right time – or the wrong time, depending on your point of view – and inspired something unexpected.

Bradley finished his beer and set down the empty glass. He was sitting up very straight, no pun intended, against the back of the chair. He stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets, and began looking around about him as if restlessly wondering what the next thing was – another beer here, or head somewhere else, or –

‘Your room or mine?’ Colin asked.

‘What?’ Bradley asked absently. Not comprehending.

‘ _Your_ room or _mine_ , then?’

Bradley twigged, and his head came down so that those blues eyes could consider Colin very levelly from across the table. ‘You’re not serious.’

Colin shrugged a little, but answered, ‘I am, actually.’

‘But you’re –’

‘Straight. Yeah. Isn’t that kind of the point?’

‘I guess.’ Bradley was looking wary, as if waiting for the punch line of a practical joke. ‘But –’

‘Ah… Now who’s making the fuss?’

That visibly stung him. ‘It’s just a bit unexpected, is all! Where ’d this come from?’

‘Dunno. You started it.’

‘Did not.'

‘Did, too. Why else would you need to be telling me they should have just gone with it?’

The wary look in Bradley’s eyes had become something more like dubious. But that in itself indicated the man was thinking about it. Bradley chewed on his lower lip for a while. At last he asked, ‘Have you had… near misses? Like the guys in the play. Weird dreams. Unexpected crushes.’

‘Kinda. Some.’ Colin sketched a grin – and actually he thought this was pretty funny. ‘I’ll tell you mine, if you’ll tell me yours. Or show me,’ he added with a wink.

A beat passed, and Bradley said, ‘All right.’

Colin did laugh, then. ‘So _you_ have, too!’

Bradley flushed a little. It was rather endearing. ‘Guess we wouldn’t even be having this conversation if we hadn’t. You know. Hadn’t thought about it some.’

‘Well, then,’ said Colin. ‘Let’s cut to the chase. If there’s no need for fuss.’

Another beat. Two. Three. Bradley seemed to be thinking about the fact that actually it seemed a small amount of fuss was needed. To make sure they were all on the same page. To seduce – or at least to warm up. ‘All right,’ Bradley eventually said again, and firmer this time. ‘Then what exactly –?’

‘Come to my room,’ said Colin. ‘Or I’ll come to yours. Either way.’

‘Mine,’ said Bradley with a nod. ‘No, yours!’

‘Sure. Then I thought… I thought I’d kiss you… and let it happen organically.’

Bradley was gazing at him now, gazing at Colin, at his mouth. As if imagining the kiss. And perhaps not focussing too much on what might happen after. Bradley swallowed. Hard. And stood. ‘Let’s go, then.’

‘Aye,’ said Colin. ‘Let’s go.’

♦


End file.
